Kent State's Jameson Konz was selected by the Seattle Seahawks with the 38th pick of the seventh round of the NFL Draft on Saturday afternoon. The 245th pick overall, Konz becomes the 39th player to be drafted in KSU history. He is the fourth Golden Flash in the last four years to be drafted.

Originally projected as a tight end/wide receiver, the Seahawks drafted Konz as a fullback in the NFL. The fifth-year senior turned in a 46-inch vertical leap and a 4.38 40-yard dash among his other measurements at his pro day at the Kent State field house. Konz’ vertical leap was two inches better than what any player turned in at the NFL combine, while his 40 time would have ranked second among all tight ends and wide receivers.

The Kent State baseball team pounded 24th-ranked Pittsburgh on Tuesday afternoon at Trees Field in Pittsburgh by a score of 16-3. The Flashes smacked out 20 hits on their way to the lopsided win.

Back on April 7, the Flashes beat Pittsburgh 19-6. Throw in Tuesday and the Flashes beat up on the Panthers this season by a combined score of 35-9. Kent State improves to 21-18 on the season while Pittsburgh falls to 26-10.

Kent State University President Lester A. Lefton announced Friday that Joel Nielsen’s start date has been bumped up two weeks to May 1.

The Athletic Director at the University of South Dakota for the last seven years, Nielsen was formally introduced March 25 as Kent State’s 11th Director of Athletics with an anticipated May 15 start date. The earlier date allows Nielsen to be included in several key long-range planning meetings early in the month.

A nagging back injury has forced former Crestwood star Alan Vanderink to make the difficult decision of giving up his football playing days and starting his coaching career. Vanderink will be a student coach for the Golden Flashes in the upcoming 2010 season.

AVON- I made the short trek from my house over to All Pro Freight Stadium in Avon to watch the Kent State baseball team (19-16) play Cleveland State (8-21) on Wednesday afternoon. The result was a 6-3 win for the Golden Flashes. Kent State has now won 14 of their last 19 baseball games.

Sophomore Ryan Mace (Tallmadge) picked up his first win of the season for KSU. Sophomores Kyle McMillen (Hoban) and Jimmy Rider both went 3 for 5 from the plate with McMillen contributing three RBI.

Dave Carducci of the Record Courier checks in today with some news and notes about how spring practice is going for the Golden Flashes.

I like Coach Martin's tactics to increase the intensity during the first five minutes and last five minutes of practice. While KSU started games pretty well last season by scoring on their first possession of six games, the Golden Flashes will need to finish stronger in 2010.

Lake High School graduate and former Kent Stater Jameson Konz is trying to be the next Golden Flash to make it in the NFL. Konz bounced around at KSU, making 21 starts at linebacker before moving to tight end for his senior season. An ankle injury cost him the entire season. After gaining another year of eligibility, Konz caught 21 passes for 298 yards in 2009.

With freakish athleticism and a stunning pro day, Konz may find himself drafted in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Former Kent State football player Jameson Konz has made SI.com's "2010 Wes Welker Watch List." The list targets off the radar NFL prospects who could make a big impact in the NFL.

Last season former KSU star Julian Edelman was on the list and delivered with a very productive rookie season as a wide receiver with the New England Patriots. Edelman was third on the team with 37 receptions for 359 yards.

Cory McCartney from SI.com writes about Kent State running back Eugene Jarvis and the long, emotional journey he has been on since lacerating his kidney on September 12, 2009 in a game at Boston College.

According to the Record Courier, men's basketball coach Geno Ford and the Kent State athletic department have worked out a contract extension to keep him in Kent through the 2014-15 season at an annual salary of $300,000 a year.

On Tuesday, Marshall University called to ask for permission to speak with Ford about their vacant head coach post. It looks like that accelerated the process for Ford at Kent State.